Yemen's Houthis Emerge as Major Regional Threat with Iranian Backing

The Houthi movement in Yemen has transformed from an irregular, poorly organized force into a significant regional player with global influence, particularly after its rapid seizure of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait. This advancement, supported by Iran, enables the group to disrupt vital global shipping lanes and target critical oil and gas facilities in neighboring Saudi Arabia.

Originating in the late 1990s as a religious revival movement for the Zaydi Shia community in northern Yemen, the Houthis, led by the Houthi family, engaged in six wars against the Yemeni government, building a strong armed faction. They capitalized on the collapse of Yemen's central government in 2011 to expand their territory, forging ties with Iran and Hezbollah. By 2014, they seized the capital, Sanaa, overthrowing the government and halting a Gulf-backed political transition, which triggered a Saudi-led military intervention and a protracted civil war that reached a military stalemate and a ceasefire in 2022.

During the recent conflict in Gaza, the Houthis launched drones and missiles toward Israel and targeted international shipping, claiming solidarity with Palestinians. Following a U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, they resumed attacks on Red Sea shipping and Saudi energy infrastructure.

The recent weeks have seen a breakdown of the ceasefire, with renewed fighting along old front lines in Marib, Jawf, Taiz, Dhale, and the Red Sea coastal plain of Tihama. The Houthis made swift advances in southern Tihama, capturing the coastal city of Mokha and subsequently controlling the Red Sea coast and islands, positioning forces along the Bab el-Mandeb strait. These gains facilitate disruption of Red Sea shipping, a key route for Saudi oil exports to Asia, and pose a potential launchpad for further advances toward Aden. Saudi Arabia has conducted airstrikes in support of government-aligned forces.

The Houthis' growing capability for long-range, accurate strikes is the reason for their expanding impact beyond Yemen. Their ballistic missiles have reached Israel, over 1,800 kilometers away, and their attacks on Saudi Arabia have intensified, targeting cities and infrastructure. They have also fired missiles at ships in the Red Sea, disrupting navigation. Drones are increasingly used in combat, a significant shift from previous fighting.

Video footage released by the Houthis since September shows their military equipment, including drones dropping mortar shells and bombs, and precise strikes on vehicles and buildings. They have also displayed ground forces, some in traditional attire, carrying assault rifles, and others in camouflage with light and heavy machine guns. Footage also shows captured equipment from Saudi-backed forces in Tihama, including armored vehicles, tanks, artillery, and anti-drone jammers, though their use was not generally depicted.

According to a 2025 UN Panel of Experts report, the Houthis have developed missile and drone technology with technical assistance and local manufacturing, alongside extensive arms smuggling despite a UN embargo, including overland routes via Oman and maritime smuggling. Seizures included drone control devices, ship navigation data receivers, drone engines, and missile components. A 2023 UN report noted the confiscation of complete drones and ballistic missile components, including precursor chemicals, and Iranian-made anti-tank missiles. Iranian sources indicate Tehran has supplied weapons and experts, though Iran officially denies violating the UN arms embargo. The International Institute for Strategic Studies assessed in 2025 that while the Houthis have advanced domestic arms production, they still rely on Iran for key technologies and advanced capabilities.

UN experts describe Houthi military tactics as focusing on infiltration, drone attacks, frontline shelling, and the planting of mines and explosives. The Houthi fighting force is estimated at around 350,000, partly through recruiting individuals under 18. Analysts believe Iranian and Hezbollah training has been pivotal in their development from a "militia" to a more organized military force. UN experts noted Hezbollah specialists in missiles and drones were present with the Houthis in 2025, as was Iranian General Abdolreza Shahlai of the IRGC's Quds Force for a period.